


District 12

by niviyumi



Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Hunger Games, M/M, Minor Character Death, POV Eren Yeager, POV Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Top Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), ereri
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-02-24 16:27:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21980932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/niviyumi/pseuds/niviyumi
Summary: Eren came from one of the poorest districts in Panem. While struggling to survive, he was suddenly forced to join the annual Hunger Games as a tribute and there he met a man with dark, metal eyes who is determined to save Eren, knowing that it may cost his own life.
Relationships: Levi/Eren Yeager
Comments: 16
Kudos: 64





	1. The Boy from District 12

EREN’S POV

Eren had been dreaming of green fields and blue skies again. He usually woke up from the dream with tears in his eyes. How it got there – he didn’t know, but an overwhelming sadness filled him, the kind of sorrow he had not felt since his dad’s passing many years ago. He groggily got out of bed and proceeded to wash his face. The broken mirror from the old vanity table could not hide the sadness and confusion in his eyes, though he had many things to worry about than to ponder about his dreams. After getting changed, he descended the rickety stairs of his childhood home for some breakfast. Mikasa, his younger sister, was already seated at the table while their mother prepared the porridge and heated back the partridge Eren cooked for them yesterday. 

“Good morning, mum.” He greeted his mother with a kiss on her cheek and then gave the same to his sister. Despite growing up in a very poor household, Eren shared a very close relationship with his family. “Do we still have enough food to last for the week?”

“I guess it would be enough for now. I would need some thread to mend the hole in your coat, son.”

“I need something for school. Mrs Norris wants us to do a presentation about the Peacekeepers tomorrow…” Mikasa kept her voice low, as she usually would, but Eren sensed unease in her stance. 

“Hmm…then I might need to go hunting again today, mum.” His mother looked concerned, though she said nothing. He hastily chowed down on his breakfast in a heart’s beat, determined to get ahead of the day before the Reaping. After breakfast, he strapped on his favourite pair of boots and got out his bow and arrows. 

“Eren…please be careful.” His mother’s voice broke a little as she watched her son from the doorway. He turned to wave at her, with a smile on his face. 

“No worries, mum. I’ll be back in time for the Reaping.”

He went to the woods behind his house, long abandoned from the day he was born. The thick barb-wired fences covering the length of the woods became quite over the years, which made it easy for Eren to cut through a small opening just enough for him to pass through. Beyond the fence, he eased into the elements, becoming part of the woods as hunted for game. It didn’t take long for him as the traps he laid out just a few days ago had bitten, and from the looks of the carcass, the catch was still fresh from the hours before dawn. He wrapped up the hare in paper and set another snare for the new day. Then he sneaked towards the spot where game is usually plenty, hoping to find a deer, if his luck permits. 

“Bless my luck today…” He muttered under his breath when he spotted a small deer moving between the trees. Making sure to avoid accidentally stepping on a twig which could scare the animal away, he strung his bow and waited for a chance to shoot. He focused intently on the prey, counting the numbers down in his head. When he released the trigger, the arrow zoomed silently across the clearing, hitting it where it would cause the prey to paralyse. The deer tried to run, but its hind legs refused to cooperate. Eren got to it just in time to end its misery. 

“Well, this should cover a week’s worth. I could buy a new sewing set for mum and whatever Mikasa needed for school.”

He was about to leave, when a large aircraft hovered above his head. Eren cowered to hide behind a large tree to avoid from being seen. He knew why the aircraft came, so in a haste, he packed up his game, bow and arrow slung across his shoulder and made his way back to the house. 

Mikasa and his mother had been waiting for him. Thankfully, Mikasa was still too young to partake in the Reaping, but Eren could not be spared. This year marked his fourth year since he first joined at seventeen years of age, and already his name would appear thirty times in the ballot. Usually, a tribute’s name will only multiply according to the years, but the Capitol deemed that a tribute may get aid for his or her family, in return of adding more chances for the tribute to be selected for the next Reaping. Since Mikasa is still in school and his mother needed medicine for her illness, he used the privilege to help his family on many occasions. 

He might end up paying the price sooner or later. 

“Eren…” Mikasa stood by the doorway of his room, tears filling her eyes. She was scared for him, and as the hour drew closer for the Reaping, her resolve has finally shattered. It had always been like this; from the first time he placed his name into the ballot and the years that followed. 

“Come here, Kasa.” He took her into his tight embrace, afraid to let go, because this might be the last time he might ever see her again. “It’s okay… shh… don’t cry. It’ll be the same like last time. I’ll go to the Reaping and my name might not even be chosen. We’ll come back later and have a feast tonight. I even bought the new sewing set for mum and the stuff you needed for the presentation tomorrow is ready.”

“I don’t care about the presentation, Eren!” She sobbed, holding onto him tightly. “I don’t want you to go…”

“You know I can’t do that, Kasa. I need to go. The Peacekeepers will kill us if I don’t.”

“We could run away, Eren. You, me and mum… far away from here. They won’t find us.”

Eren sighed heavily, loosening his grip a little. “And then what, Kasa? How are we to survive? How could we possibly run away from the Capitol? You need to finish your studies and find a better life out there. All I need you to do now is to wait for me. I’ll come home after the Reaping.”

“And what if you don’t?” She wiped away her tears, eyes cast downward. 

“If I don’t come back today…then I promise you that I’ll survive. I can hunt, I can fight… no matter what happens, I’ll come back to see you and mum again.”

“You promise?”

He hated breaking promises, but he needed her to be strong for him. After getting dressed up in plain grey suit, probably the most luxuriest set of clothing he may ever own, he hugged his mum and sister for one last assurance, before making his way towards the town’s square, where the other tributes are waiting in line. The Peacekeepers took a pinch of his blood as standard procedure, before directing him towards the male section. There he waited for the speech to begin. The crowd was silent, moving in an organized haste, afraid to speak a word in case it may stir trouble with the Peacekeepers. 

A few minutes later, the double doors to the Mayor’s residence opened up to reveal a lady dressed extravagantly in Capitol’s fashion. She strode out the doorway to face the crowd, a fake smile plastered on her face as she began her speech. “Ladies and gentleman…such a fine day we have today. My name is Elfie. It is my great pleasure and honour to become this year’s host for District 12’s tributes.” She clapped, the sound of her clapping the only noise Eren could hear across the whole square. 

“As always, before we begin, there is a special video from the Capitol that I would love to show you.” The video – a propaganda from the Capitol to display the importance of participating in the annual Hunger Games began to play on the big screen on the right. Eren heeded no attention to it as he had seen four times over. He was more interested in watching the two boys in front of him; the left one a small, scrawny looking boy with ginger head, while the right one is larger, taller and blonde. They looked to be around Eren’s age. He noticed the way they were gripping each other’s hands, as if to seek comfort and assurance with one another. 

When the video finally stopped playing, Eren drew his eyes away from the boys and towards the stage. Now, the Reaping began. Elfie, as the lady introduced herself as, cleared her throat in front of the mic, and started, “Well, the time has come for us to call out this year’s tributes for the 76th Annual Hunger Games. As always, ladies first.” She reached into the ballot holding names from the female section and came back to the mic. “Our first tribute for District 12 is… Historia Reiss!”

Silence. The girls looked among themselves, searching for the one named Historia. A couple of seconds later, a petite blonde girl walked out from the crowd slowly, towards the stage where Elfie had her hand out to welcome the first tribute. Someone made a ruckus at the back and Eren heard a voice yelling, “I VOLUNTEER FOR HISTORIA REISS!”

There was more ruckus as the crowd began to stir. Historia looked horrified as Peacekeepers pushed her back into the crowd, and a taller girl with shoulder length hair took the stage. Elfie seemed excited with this new development. “Oh my, it seems that we have our first volunteer from District 12! Everyone, please give her a round of applause.”

Elfie clapped, followed by a weak series of clapping from the crowd. 

“May I have your name, young lady?”

“Ymir.” The girl replied crudely, looking straight ahead. She was obviously in no mood to talk further. 

“Well now, it’s time to draw out the tribute’s name from the gentleman’s side, so here I go.” Elfie reached into another ballot and came back to the mic. Eren crossed his fingers, praying it wouldn’t be his name. He wanted to go home and spend the rest of the day with his family; to cook the meat he caught and not worry about the Hunger Games until next year. Luck had been on his side this morning. Perhaps it would favour him again.

“…Eren Jaeger! Where are you, my dear?”

Eren opened his eyes. He didn’t even realize he closed it. The crowd parted ways to let him through and suddenly the path leading up to the stage felt too close. Something caught in his throat. 

Elfie called out to him. “Oh, is that you, Eren Jaeger? Come on up here, my dear.” His legs felt heavy as he slowly made his way to the stage. He almost slipped on the stairs but Elfie caught him just in time to pull him up. “Let’s congratulate this year’s tribute for District 12 for their sacrifice to partake in the 76th Annual Hunger Games! We will allow their close family members to come and say goodbye, and then if’s off to the Capitol.”

Eren could only hear a loud ringing in his ears, all other noises blanked out. Someone took his right arm and dragged him into the Mayor’s residence. There he was dragged up a flight of stairs and into a posh-looking room with the other tribute. Elfie said something to them before leaving the room, but he couldn’t hear the words. In fact, he was too shocked to move. 

Moments later, the door opened again and Mikasa’s face appeared first from the doorway. “EREN!” She flew into his arms, sobbing hysterically. She was frantic.

He only had time to register her cries and his body moved on automatic, comforting her back as he did this morning. “Shh… please don’t cry Mikasa. I’ll be fine…” His voice broke, despite assuring her. 

“I don’t want you to go…”

Eren then pulled his mother into a hug, now reassuring the both of them that everything would be fine, even though he knew it may the be the last time he would ever see them. “I’ll come back for the both of you, okay?”

“You promised.”

“Yes, I did. I’m sorry, Kasa, but I need to go now.” Just as he said this, a Peacekeeper came into the room to drag his mother and sister out. The same had been done towards Ymir and her closed ones. The girl named Historia was the last to embrace her before she got dragged out from the room. Then it was just the two of them. 

“Ymir.”

“Jaeger.” They nodded at each other. It was as far as introduction between them would get for now, before Elfie came back with the same fake smile plastered on her face. 

“Come now, my darlings! It’s time to board the train to the Capitol.”

Eren took one last look at the town he grew up in before boarding the train. He might never see home again by the time the Games ended. He might as well etch it all into his memory before leaving. Ymir seemed to be doing the same, but her attention was mostly focused on Historia, who stood at the side with tears staining down her cheeks. 

“Be quick, the two of you. We have a long and tight schedule planned out ahead of us.” Elfie called out. Then it was finally time to board the train.


	2. The Peacekeeper from District 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, guys. Just to be clear....this story might differ in some context from the actual book. My intention is to avoid violence towards children / teenagers younger than 18, so one can only place his/her name into the ballot at the age of 18 onwards. 
> 
> Side note: I'll be updating around two times per week...? Wait...sounds like a lot of writing in one week. *dies*

LEVI’S POV

It was raining again. It had been raining constantly for the past three months, usually in the early mornings just after dawn, sometimes late evenings when it was time for dinner. Levi likes the rain, because he could gain a sort of comfort from it, with a hot cup of tea in hand and slow music playing in the background. He spent his rainy days just looking out the window from Peacekeeper’s quarters on the third floor of the barrack, into a dirty town where all he could see are soldiers littering the streets. 

As a soldier – a Peacekeeper – from District 2, he had dreams of living a secluded life elsewhere, away from all the fighting and suffering. The barracks were empty that day because most of them wanted to watch the Reaping. Here in District 2, it would be considered a great honour for an individual to volunteer his or her own name during the Reaping. The honour came with a price, though. Only the strongest, fittest, and fastest of them all would end up volunteering for the Games. Having worked as a Peacekeeper since the age of eighteen, or as the locals addressed as "Reaping Age", Levi had the luck of being exempted from joining the Games, which means he had never placed his name inside the ballot throughout his service. He found the Games to be a mindless waste of resources anyway. Rather than finding ways to use readily available resources to better this world, the Capitol ruled it necessary to engage themselves in unnecessary battles that would only stir more trouble in the end, such as the re-occurrence of a new-age rebellion; the 2nd Panem War. 

As a Peacekeeper serving the Capitol for almost ten years, he knew about the hardships faced by the other districts to stay alive. He had been to all the districts, forced down control over others who are helpless to fight back, and came home with nightmares that had only gotten worse since then. He couldn’t get away from the fighting even if he tried. It was in his blood to wield a weapon. Those living in District 2 grew up with masonry skills to make weapons their whole lives, for the purposes of serving the Capitol. Then they were trained to use those weapons. Just like everyone else here, Levi had been trained to kill and maim. Trained to fight those larger or smaller than him. However, his aptitude in battle had always been better than the other peers in his batch, so Levi earned the respect from those around him, regardless of age, size and weight. 

Now, after serving the Capitol for so long, he was just tired. 

“Levi, there you are!” His childhood friend, Farlan, stood by the doorway, panting heavily. “Y-you need to come with me.” Levi raised an eyebrow at him.

“And where do I have to go, Farlan?”

“The Reaping. They’re about to begin.”

Levi scoffed. He wanted to enjoy a bit more time watching the rain and finishing up the pot of tea he brewed before leaving the barracks, but Farlan was the type who would not budge even if a tempest threatened to blow the town. Levi’s only option would be to follow his friend or risk bleeding his ears from Farlan’s nuisance. 

“Fine. I won’t be happy though. My tea isn’t done yet.”

“I’ll brew a new batch for you if we could just go now.” Farlan insisted firmly. 

“I hope your name gets picked.” Levi threatened, though those who knew him long enough would know that it was just an empty threat. A joke, even, however dark or sinister it sounded.

Farlan merely chuckled. “Well, it would be my greatest honour then.”

“Honour, my ass. You have a wife with a baby coming along. I’d kill you with my own bare hands before I could ever allow you to join the games.”

“Geez, Levi. Then Isabel would have no one to help her with the baby. I guess you’ll have to step in and do your god-father duties then.”

“The baby wouldn’t need his god-father as long as his dad is still alive, dumbass. Anyway, come on. I hate walking in the rain.”

“Alright, alright…”

The both of them ran to the event hall where the Reaping was being held. District 2’s representative from the Capitol had already called out a female tribute, so now there was one more tribute to be called. “Alright then! Now, let’s call out the male tribute for this year’s 76th Annual Hunger Games. Remember, there could only be one volunteer and once you have been chosen, no other volunteers will be considered. However, if no volunteers stood out, then the person on this card will have to participate in the Games.”

Keen eyes looked over the crowd to wait for any daring volunteer to step up, but surprisingly in this round, no one raised a hand. “I see… alright then, let’s read the name from this card.”

Farlan gripped Levi’s shoulder tightly, seeking comfort. Levi knew that despite all the big talk, Farlan wanted to be there to witness his child’s birth. He wanted to experience being a father to his own son. Levi had lost both his parents so many years ago and he grew up without a father. It was an experience he would never want his god-child to go through. No matter happens, Farlan must never join the Games this year or any years to come. Levi vowed to protect his family. 

“The male tribute from District 12 shall be…Farlan Church!” There was a lot of clapping from the crowd, because being called as a tribute would be the greatest honour bestowed upon all or any individual living in District 2, but Levi witnessed his friend breaking down in sorrow. Others may mistakenly view it as happiness, but Levi knew his childhood friend the most. 

He didn’t think this day would come so soon. The crowd cheered for Farlan to take the stage but Levi placed a hand on his chest to stop him. “I VOLUNTEER IN HIS STEAD!”

Almost everyone in town knew Levi Ackerman, so the moment he volunteered to take Farlan’s place, the cheering grew even louder. A couple of them stomped their feet and chanted District 2’s anthem. Farlan watched in horror as Levi gave him one last glare to stay put and don’t say shit before going to the stage to take his place as a tribute. 

“Well then, it seems that this year’s Games had only gotten more interesting. We will have Levi Ackerman representing District 2!”

Someone in the crowd yelled, “District 2 will emerge victorious this year!”

The MC laughed, “Let’s not get too excited just yet. We have an array of good tributes this year so perhaps this might be the most interesting year for the Hunger Games in history. Now, let’s give a big applause to our tributes for their sacrifice in taking part for this year’s Games. The families of the tributes could see them before the train departs.” The MC then turned to face both tributes with a wide grin. “As for the two of you, please follow me.”

Levi took one last glance at Farlan who stood shell-shocked in the crowd before leaving through the doors at the back. He hoped that his friends would at least see him before he leaves for the Capitol. 

Not even five minutes later, Isabel stormed into the room where he was told to wait for the time being. She embraced him headstrong, though her pregnant belly made it hard for her to squeeze him too tight. She was seven months pregnant by then and in two more months, Farlan and Isabel will be welcoming their first child into the world. “Leviiiiiiiiii, you have to survive, okay?”

“You know I will. I need to see my god-child when he comes.”

“Levi, what you did for me there…” Farlan’s voice broke, tears streaming down his cheeks. “I can’t begin to thank you enough…”

Levi gave him a warm hug. “It’s fine, my friend. You make sure no harm comes to Isabel while I’m gone. Also, I will be expecting that new pot of tea you promised to brew for me.”

Farlan gave him a weak smile. “And for now, I shall drink all of your tea on your behalf.”

Levi shot him a glare. “If I don’t find even one bag of tea leaves in the cupboard by the time I get back, I swear to god – “

Farlan brought him back into a tight embrace before he could finish his sentence. “You better come back for your god-son, otherwise I will drag your sorry ass home, Levi. Mark my words.”

“I promise.”

So after saying his goodbyes, Levi and the other tribute were hastily shoved into the train to depart for the Capitol. Since it would only be a day’s journey ahead, he had some time to hone his skills around the training centre before the other tributes come in. He wondered who the other tributes would be. 

Then his memories brought him back to District 12 and the boy with the most beautiful blue eyes he had ever seen. As a Peacekeeper, he was not allowed to disclose his own identity to the locals living in the district. Peacekeepers were meant to be feared; to keep the peace, so they say. Yet, it was through an uneventful night when he first met the blue-eyed boy from District 12. He was assigned to guard the warehouse where the ration of food stock for the Peacekeepers were kept. Once a while, he’d get a local or two coming over to request for some food, but in return, they agreed to add another card of their own name into the ballot. Food came with a very high price in the lower districts. Resources were scarce, so for those who were too young or too old to work, they had to find another way to keep on living. Such a cruel cycle of life.

Blue eyes had been too careless when he tried to steal food from the warehouse. Levi sensed he had a bit of talent, at least, because by the time he was caught red-handed for stealing, blue eyes was already on his way down a dark alleyway, thinking he had done a good job that night. Levi saw him leaving the warehouse and decided to follow the taller boy. Once they were in the dark and far out of reach for anyone to find them, Levi made his first attack, pinning the boy against the wall. The boy resisted as hard as he could, but Levi was stronger. They struggled with one another for a while, the boy trying to run away while Levi had him pinned up for the most part, but eventually, they stopped below a street light and Levi saw those blue eyes for the first time. 

Mesmerizing and beautiful. He wanted to drown in them. It didn’t help that the boy has a good figure under his clothing, which Levi only discovered during their little struggle. 

Then the boy opened his mouth to speak, “Look, please let me go on this one. I really need the food for my mum. She’s sick.” Levi almost shivered at his voice. 

“Everyone has their own problems in this town, brat. You don’t get a free pass just because your mum is sick. You’re supposed to add your name into the ballot if you planned to take food from our ration.”

“You have so much food in there! This is just one time, I promise.”

“Oh yeah? Once can lead to twice. Why should I believe you?”

“It wouldn’t have made a difference for me, whether I took the food the right way or whether I stole them. I already have my name inside the ballot more times than my fingers and toes combined. Anyway, what would a Peacekeeper like you understand the sort of life we live here? You get to live in the Capitol, you don’t have to fight for food, and if anybody in your family gets sick, you don’t have to worry about finding medicine for them.”

“You don’t know anything about me, so don’t assume, brat.” Levi hissed, tightening his grip around the boy’s throat until the boy was physically struggling to breathe. “Anyway, before you start to bleed my ears out, I’ll let you go on this one. If I catch you again stealing from our ration, rest assured it won’t just be my grip around your throat.”

Blue eyes glared at him dangerously before Levi finally loosened his grip. Then he took off running into the night, while Levi was left to wonder his name. Tch, he should have asked earlier. 

“Earth to Levi, are you there?” The representative for District 2, nicknamed Glow, will also be their hostess and one of their mentors for the coming Games. She wore the most ridiculous strong-scented perfume, with thick makeup covering her whole face and peacock feathers around her neck – the current fashion trend in the Capitol. Levi almost gagged when she got too close to his face. “Well, glad to know you’re still alive. You spaced out for a long while there.”

“I could have died with your perfume stinking up the whole place.”

Glow looked livid at hearing this. “Manners, Ackerman! It seems that I will have my hands full with you. Anyway, time to meet your mentors for District 2, who were also victors in previous Hunger Games.”

Three individuals entered the coach; two males and one female. Levi Ackerman definitely knew them. They were his seniors, back when he first started as a Peacekeeper. Mike Zacharias was the 65th Annual Hunger Games victor. Then Gunther Schultz followed up a year later. And finally Petra Ral as the 70th Annual Hunger Games victor. All three of them had different styles in battle. Mike was quite hands-on in the Games, who immediately went for a sword and made allies with the other districts. His strong allies then led him to a quick victory before he betrayed two of them in the end. Gunther played as a survivor, setting traps and bombs to kill his enemies at range, while he watched them die a painful death from the tree tops. Petra was very good with her bow and arrows, so most of the enemies she killed did not even get close enough to touch her. 

“Ackerman, I knew this day would come.” Mike started, striding over to greet Levi. “I was hoping to see you in the Games after seeing how you performed in the army for the last couple of years. I finally got my wish.”

“Oh shut up, Mike. Nobody ever wants to join the Games for fun, unlike you.” Petra scoffed. “Anyway, I’m Petra. It’s nice to finally meet you, Levi.”

“Hey there, short stuff. You should know me by now. I’m glad to be here as your mentor. There’s so many things I want to teach you.” Gunther chimed in. “Anyway, we should be arriving at the Capitol tomorrow, so tonight we’ll just be eating and celebrating on your success as a tribute.”

“Yay for me…” Levi deadpanned, crossing his arms. 

“Where’s the other tribute, Glow? I don’t see her.” Mike asked. “Oh, and what’s her name again?”

“Her name is Annie Leonhardt and she’s taking a shower now. Once she’s done, we will have dinner in the dining coach. I suggest that all of you get your little cooches over to the dining coach if you don’t want to miss the feast I prepared.”

“Oh no, Glow, did you cook?! We might not make it out alive tonight.” Gunther teased her. 

“Oh stop it you… You too, Mike. I swear, both of you are simply despicable. How I managed to put up with you lot over the years is nothing short of a miracle.”

“We know you love us, Glow. Anyway, Levi, you’ll soon be a part of this family.”

“The only family I have is the one back home.”

“Come on now, all of you. Into the dining coach!”


	3. The First Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the update delay. I was super busy with work these past few months, so I could only start to write again during the lockdown period in my country. 
> 
> Just realized while I'm reading back the first two chapters, I had so many grammar and spelling mistakes. ughhhh.

EREN’S POV

District 12 only had five champions in total over the course of 76 years since the Hunger Games started. Most of the champions of old days reigned from Districts 1 to 4, unsurprising as those districts mainly served the Capitol’s citizens directly so it would only be natural for the Capital to favor them over the other districts. Eren heard rumors of the Capitol providing funds and resources to train ‘Careers’ from these districts, who would eventually participate in the Hunger Games out of honor. He shuddered at the thought of coming face-to-face with a fully trained Career in the Games, knowing he’d be at a disadvantage from the start. 

He joined Elfie and Ymir for dinner in the dining coach of the train that night, where Elfie also introduced them to their mentor, Hannes, winner of the 65th Annual Hunger Games. Hannes stumbled into the coach with a bottle of whiskey in hand, drunk out of his mind but somehow still sober enough to spew colorful words about the Capitol and its current president, Erwin Smith. Ymir gave up listening to his nonsense by the end of dinner, abruptly getting up to excuse herself. Eren had not been so lucky to escape though. Hannes was determined to keep him seated for as long as he remained conscious. Elfie could only roll her eyes at every given profanity. 

When it was time for Eren to retire for the night, Elfie took her stand and made it clear to Hannes. Eren could not sleep well that night though, worried over his mother and sister. He tossed and turned, agonized over his chances of surviving the Games and the inevitable need to kill his own partner for the sake of victory. 

The Games were unfair. It had always been from the start. Eventually, he fell asleep.

Rising early for breakfast had always been his normal routine at home. He’d come downstairs to find his mother cooking and his sister getting ready for school. After breakfast, he’ll walk with his sister to school, before making his way to the woods for a good round of hunting. Then he’d take his catch to the market and sell them for a good price. The money he earned would be used to buy more medicine for his mother and food supplies for the week. 

“Hey Jaeger, rise and shine.” Ymir’s face floated into his line of vision. He woke up with a start, frantically inching away from her before realizing it was only Ymir. She looked amused by his reaction, a wide smirk on her face when she remarked, “You don’t have to be so afraid of me. Yet.” Then she walked away, laughing. 

Eren found no humor in her words. He quickly got out of bed, took a long cold shower, before heading over to the dining coach. Breakfast had been served at the same table they occupied last night. Hannes was already halfway through his stack of pancakes while Ymir took small sips of her coffee. Elfie busied herself reading the newspaper. Eren took his seat opposite Hannes and began to eat. He might as well enjoy the meal before their scheduled arrival at the Capitol by noon. 

“So Hannes, do you have any tips for us?” Ymir asked, breaking the silence. 

Hannes barely glanced at her. He reached out for the bacon strips. “Well, don’t die in there. Is that good enough?”

“Hannes!” Elfie scolded him. “Don’t scare the children.”

“They’re not exactly kids, Elfie, in case you haven’t noticed.” 

“That does not give you the right to scare them so thoughtlessly. You were chosen to be their mentor this year, so I expect you to act like one.” 

Hannes finally looked at them, clearly unhappy over Elfie’s words. “First off, the only sane advice I could give you right now is to be mentally prepared to accept your fate as a tribute this year, which means either one of you or both will face the possibility of losing your lives. I can’t have either of you quitting midway because of fear or whatever reason that may forfeit your participation in the Games, because knowing the Capitol, it will only bring more trouble to the ones back home. We do everything we can to ensure the safety of the ones we love, am I clear?”

Both tributes nodded their heads. No argument there. 

Hannes then sighed. “This will mark my 10th year of being a mentor ever since I won the 65th Annual Hunger Games. If you ask me why I choose to waste it off being a drunkard, it’s because I rely on it to numb away the pain of losing the ones I trained all these years, those who were forced to leave home just like the both of you to join this stupid thing because of the Capitol.” He spat. Then so softly, he muttered, “No matter how hard I try, they never…survived. Guilt has been eating away inside me for a long time.” Elfie gently laid a hand over the mentor’s own to console him. Eren saw the pained look in the man’s eyes.

As much as he wanted to feel sorry for the mentor, he felt more remorse for himself. He’ll be the one facing the other tributes this year. Hannes will be waiting outside to welcome him by the end of the Games, if he survived.

“I’m sorry that you’ll have to go through this again, Hannes.” Elfie empathized, sincerity in her eyes. Hannes glumly nodded, squeezing her hand to return the gesture. She then turned to Eren and Ymir. “Let’s all take some time to relax and clear our heads first before reaching the Capitol. Both of you will have to undergo the training sessions assigned by the Gamekeeper starting tomorrow. For today, we have all day to settle down and take things one step at a time. Hannes will share with you the finer details of your training schedule and interview sessions during dinner tonight.” 

They nodded their replies, then Ymir got up immediately, leaving the coach. Eren followed after. 

“Hey Ymir, wait up. I need to talk to you.” 

She stopped to listen. 

“Can we perhaps talk in my room?” He suggested, then leading her towards his assigned room. When they were comfortably seated on his bed, he finally spoke up. “Listen, I know there could only be one winner to emerge from this, but before any of us could even become a winner, we’d have to survive the other tributes.”

“I know.” She replied nonchalantly. 

He gave her a raised eyebrow. “I guess what I’m trying to say is, let’s not kill each other too soon in the Games. We don’t have anyone else we could trust beside ourselves, so for the sake of survival, I’m asking you to be my partner. We should work together.”

“What happens when there’s only two of us left?”

Eren couldn’t hold back the grimace on his face. “Then we’ll have to decide the winner. It’s a fair fight.”

Ymir snorted at this. “I don’t believe in giving without getting back what I deserved.” 

“So, are you saying that you don’t want to be on the same side?”

“I’m saying that I could do well without a partner, Jaeger. Why bother trusting someone if you’ll end killing them anyway? It’ll just make everything so complicated.”

Eren felt anger boiling inside him. How could she think like this? How could she be so selfish? He was hoping she’d agree to work along with him, considering they came from the same district, but she only truly cared about the prize at the end of this insanity. “Since you’ve made yourself clear that you don’t want any help when the time comes, then don’t expect me to come running after you with help. I can only assure you that I won’t try to kill you first.”

Ymir somehow found his words amusing. “You’re really desperate about this, huh, Jaeger? Either you’re worried about me, or you don’t have enough confidence to win the Games. I’d wager my bet on the latter.”

“Who wouldn’t be? You’re about to enter an arena filled with trained killers, so the least you could do is to survive. Or am I wrong to think this way?” 

“I won’t judge you for thinking either way. I’m just here to say my piece so that we won’t have any misunderstanding during the Games later. If it makes you feel better, I’ll try not to kill you so soon too.” 

“Oh yeah, I’m feeling so much better now.” He grumbled back sarcastically. She merely shrugged before leaving his room. Seeing her disappear out the door just made him feel ten times worse from whatever he felt during breakfast this morning, because now he truly felt alone in this. Scared and alone.

He decided to take a short nap, hoping to wake up from this nightmare soon.

\---------------------------------------

LEVI’S POV

Levi hated everything about the Capitol the moment he stepped foot off the train. Even though he visited the Capitol numerous times in the past, he still can’t fathom the odd tradition and culture practiced by its local citizens for so many centuries, particularly in the way they dressed, talked, and walked. Bright vivid colors, mixed with feathers, laces, sparkles and shimmer – filled along the busy streets near the train station where spectators waited in bated breath to peek a glimpse of the tributes arriving that day. As District 2 is barely an hour away from the Capitol, his team arrived slightly before noon. A long vehicle was already waiting for them near the entrance as Glow ushered them to get inside quickly. 

They have the whole day to plan ahead, Glow informed once all of them were seated comfortably. The others chatted merrily, while Levi mostly kept to himself, looking through the window to see the President’s mansion slowly passing out of view. It was also drizzling outside, raindrop pattering against the window lightly. His mind then brought him back to the barracks in District 2. Just an hour earlier, he’d been sitting by the window quietly, looking out towards a different setting, while soft music filled his ears. He already missed the smell of brewing tea.

When they finally arrived at the Hunger Games’ training centre, Levi and Annie were whisked off to their assigned quarters and told to rest until dinner. Feeling restless, Levi used his free time to check out the training rooms, much to Glow’s chagrin. Each room in the centre had been built according to specific skill or weaponry made available for the Games. Levi had grown accustomed to hand combat over the years, though his skills in archery and bomb-making were equally exceptional too. Guns are the only weapon not permitted to be used by tributes during the Games. 

He picked up a star mace from one of the racks nearby and recalled a few moves he learnt during his early years in training. Peacekeepers usually carried around retractable batons during service, since regular citizens do not normally yield noteworthy weapons that could potentially cause grievous bodily harm. However, in some situations where danger becomes imminent, Peacekeepers were permitted to use guns to keep the peace. Levi refrained from using guns whenever he could, opting to master his hand combat skills, so at least now he could finally put his skills to use. 

He swung the mace in rapid succession of various military techniques until he could feel his muscle straining, then all the sudden, someone parried his attack. A boy with mesmerizing blue eyes and brown hair came into view, an excited glint in his eyes as he swung the sword in his hands towards Levi. Of course, having trained as a soldier for so long instantly made him see all the weak spots he could easily take advantage of, but blue eyes jogged familiarity to his memory that he staggered for a bit. Probably sensing his hesitance, the boy then moved another step forward, hoping to throw Levi off balance, but again his body avoided the advance out of instinct and reflex. He then side-stepped to take his chance for a counterattack. Using the blunt part of the mace, he swung towards the back of the boy’s right knee, drawing out a surprised yelp, before tackling him down to the ground. 

“Wha -? Hey, that hurts!” Blue eyes whined, trying to wriggle himself free, but Levi had enough strength to keep him down. 

“Who the hell are you and why are you suddenly attacking me?” He questioned, pissed off for being taken by surprise, though it wasn’t really the sudden attack that surprised him more. He didn’t think he would ever see those same beautiful blue eyes he once chanced upon the dirty alleyway of District 12. Now he recalled the encounter they first shared, though he doubts the boy could even remember him. A Peacekeeper rarely revealed his or her bare face to the public eye. 

“I’ll answer your question, but can you please loosen up your grip a little? Geez. It’s not like I meant to hurt you. I just wanted someone to spar with.”

Levi considered his options, whether to keep him pinned to the ground or let him go. He figured there wouldn’t be any harm in letting go, since he’s quite confident about his own ability to fight back in case the boy tried anything funny again. He loosened his grip a little and the boy quickly slipped away, getting up to his feet. “You didn’t have to twist my wrist, you know.” Blue eyes pouted, shaking away the pain. “Anyway, I’m Eren Jaeger from District 12. I got a little bored lounging around, so I figured, why not take a walk? Then I saw you training here alone so I watched you for a bit.”

“Totally not creepy.” Levi muttered with sarcasm. 

The boy – Eren – seemed embarrassed over it. “Well, I like the way you fight. I was hoping maybe perhaps…you could teach me a little?”

“And why would I do that? You’ll only use it against me later.”

“Well, it’s not like I could ever be better than you within a short period, but at least…my chances to survive could improve a little and I wouldn’t be the first person to die during the Games later.”

Levi stared at him a while longer, trying to gauge his intention. Perhaps Eren has an ulterior motive beneath his request, but the boy before him now looked earnest. Would it be a huge detriment to impart his knowledge a little?

“First of all, I know you’re not the sort of person who would go for a sword. The way you’re holding it is wrong.”

Eren looked down at the sword in his hands and blushed. Levi was a bit taken aback to see the tip of his ears turning red. “Oh…uh, I guess you’re right. I don’t normally use these kinds of weapons. I’m more of a bow-and-arrow type of person.”

“Then find a bow and some arrows. There’s a simulation in the room next door for tributes who want to enhance their archery skill. You could start there.”

Eren’s eyes lightened up at this prospect before scurrying off to find a bow. Levi simply followed him from behind. He then told Eren to stand in the middle of the room while he set up the simulation, then all the sudden he heard arrows whistling past to hit the targets coming up from the right corner. He watched the boy in silence, somehow amazed with the skills being displayed. Eren not only proved his high excellency in handling a bow, but he’s also very alert and perceptive towards his surroundings. Not a target was missed by the end of the simulation. Levi gave him a loud applaud to acknowledge his good effort. 

“That was really good.” 

Eren took his compliment with a wide smile. “Really? I was a bit nervous though.”

“Well at least you don’t have to worry about surviving the other tributes, provided that you could get your hands on a bow and some arrows first. It’s up to your mentor on how to strategize your movement during the first few minutes of the Games.”

“What are you planning to do first?”

“If I tell you, then it wouldn’t do much good for me later. Unless you forget that I’m actually the enemy here.”

Eren pursed his lips, gazing back. Then very softly, he muttered, “I guess I should learn to remember that from now on. My partner sort of indicated the same thing to me this morning.” He looked defeated afterwards, keeping away the bow to its rack. “I think it’s time to head back for dinner. Could I at least know your name?”

Levi obliged. No harm could come for knowing his name. Eren would find out sooner or later anyway. “Levi Ackerman. District 2.”

District 2 is one of the upper districts, Eren thought, wondering if he had prior training as a Career. He cursed his luck for running into one so soon. No wonder the man had displayed good fighting skills. “It was nice meeting you, Levi. We should spar again some time.” 

“Sure.” The latter shrugged. 

Eren gave him a bright smile and it stirred something inside Levi. This would be the first time he witnessed blue eyes’ smile. After Eren left, Levi made his way back to his district’s quarters. Glow had been waiting in the living room to greet him

“Dinner will be ready soon, Levi.”

“Good to know. I’m getting hungry anyway.”

“Now come on, the others are ready to start our discussion over the activities we’ll be having for the next two weeks. Once we get the schedule cleared up, then we could finally focus on filling our tummies.”

\---------------------------------------

EREN’S POV

“Eren Jaeger, where in the blazes did you go?!” Elfie yelled from the living room, the moment he entered through the front door. “You suddenly left without telling me. Do you know how worried I was?”

She changed her wig to a glaring yellow ball of wool – hair – and it did nothing to reflect the anger in her eyes. Eren had to purse his lips to hold back his laughter. 

“Do you not have anything to say for making us all worry?” She crossed her arms. Hannes happened to stumble into the living room at the right time. He took one look at her and burst out laughing. “Hannes, how is this the right time for anyone to be laughing?” She all but yelled at him, incredulous over his sudden outburst. 

“You look beautiful as always, Elfie. Now let’s all cool down and take a sit. You could scold Eren all night for taking a walk without telling us, but I’d rather discuss about our schedule before dinner.” 

She scoffed, shooting another glare towards Eren before sitting down. To avoid angering her further, Eren took a seat in one of the armchairs near Hannes. Ymir had also been called down to join them. 

“Alright, now that the both of you are here, we have a lot of things to discuss before the start of your training tomorrow. By the standard tradition of the Hunger Games, all tributes must attend the training provided for two weeks until you are called for the final test in the Gamekeeper’s presence. You’ll focus mainly on sharpening your combat skills, as well as mental preparation to face the other tributes in the arena later. Throughout the training period, you’ll have the chance to study your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses, using what you learnt as an advantage to survive the Games. Trust me when I say this, it is not the other tributes that you should be primarily concerned about. Most tributes throughout the decades died due to the elements – dehydration, starvation, poison, animal attack and infections, to name a few. The Gamekeeper has the power to control everything in the Games, so if the public demands for better entertainment, the Gamekeeper has the duty to fulfil such demands. During my time, I had to face forest fire, locust, and poisonous rain. If you’re not careful, even for one second, you’ll be facing the Maker much sooner than you’d like.”

Eren felt himself shudder. Glancing towards Ymir, he noticed that she mostly looked impassive throughout Hannes’ explanation. Despite what she said to him earlier, he was sort of amazed at her ability to stay calm over the whole situation. 

“Eren, let’s start with you. Is there something you’re good at?” Hannes asked. Then they were all staring at him.

“I’m quite good at handling a bow. I had some chance to do a bit of exercise in one of the training rooms earlier.” 

“You went down to the training area?” Elfie cut in. “Was there anyone else with you?”

Eren did not want to tell about meeting Levi. He shook his head. 

“How often do you use a bow back home?”

“Almost daily, to be honest. I love hunting for some game in the woods behind my house. Sometimes I’d do target practice just for good exercise.” 

“Very well then. What about you, Ymir?”

“My father used to train me how to fight with knives, so I’m quite good with my throwing skills. I could fight in close combat.”

“This is good. At least I know that both of you aren’t as useless as I assumed you’d be during our first meeting.”

“Hannes! That’s not a nice thing to say. You’re from District 12 too and you came out as a victor.”

“I had some luck on my side, with a lot of help from my previous mentor. He sent an ointment to me when I suffered some burns from the forest fire. Besides luck, the rest of it depended solely on my ability to survive the elements and avoid running into the other tributes. Of course, there were a few hairline instances I almost got killed by a tribute. The Gamekeeper ensures that no one could truly run too far from the others. It becomes easier to escape if you could navigate yourself through the miles of woodland area by recognizing certain landmarks. It could range from a knife mark to a tree, or even the sound of water in the distance. To survive the elements, you must learn to understand it first.” 

Eren took his words to heart. 

“Now, on to the most important part of the Games, which is the starting point for all tributes. Each tribute will be placed inside a tube that will slowly lift you up into the arena, to form a circle around the main area, the Cornucopia. It’s in this place you’ll find the supplies and weapons you need to survive the Games. Of course, it also means that the other tributes will be going after same thing as you. The fast ones have the advantage to take the first strike so your decision will either save your life or get yourself killed. My strategy had been to secure whatever I need to survive first; a bottle of water, some ration of food, ropes, if I got lucky. Then you need to start running until your lungs burn and you feel like you’ve gotten away far enough.”

“You didn’t stop to fight?” Ymir asked, frowning.

“I wasn’t a fighter. I knew what I was. Running away would not have made me a coward either. I had to think smart. It would have been different if I had been from one of those upper districts, the ‘Careers’ as they like to call themselves. They prefer to work in a large group, hunting down tributes from the lower districts first, so you’ll do well to avoid them until you have a chance to fight back.”

Eren imagined how terrifying it would be for him if he ever stumbled across Levi Ackerman during the Games later, flanked by the other ‘Careers’. He shivered slightly, to which Elfie assumed he was probably cold from the air-conditioning. She got up to temper with the switch. 

“Was it hard…to kill someone?” Eren asked, as soon as he had the chance to speak. 

Hannes became quiet for a moment. Then he said, “I could barely stop myself from shaking after realizing what I did. But I knew that if I did not take the first shot, our fate would have been reversed. He wouldn’t hesitate to kill me too. I knew I had to do it to stay alive. Killing another person will never be easy for anyone, Eren.”

Eren glanced at Ymir again, and she seemed to share the same thought as him. They didn’t want to kill each other, but if fate brought them together in the arena, then either one would have to take the first shot. He made a promise to his mother and sister, so he intends to keep the promise. 

“Time for dinner, you two. Hannes, can you help me set the table? I’ll bring the food to the table.” Elfie announced, ushering them towards the dining room.


	4. An Interview with the President

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let me apologize in advance for any grammar mistakes in this chapter. My brain went through an hour of word-vomit and I couldn't type fast enough to catch up with the plot hahahahaha. Kudos for me because I actually wrote 4000 words within one hour. gahhhh...now I need to rest my head. 
> 
> Expect another chapter soon.

LEVI’S POV

First day of training gave Levi the chance to study the other tributes. It didn’t take him long to list out each person’s strengths and weaknesses, as Gunther so eagerly urged him to find out. He did a quick sweep of the tributes from District 1 to District 11, mentally taking notes of the way they moved during the various simulations in the training room. Most of them were quite good with close-quarter combat, especially the ones from the upper districts. 

Just a little way off from the rest, he found Eren squatting in the corner with his back against the wall. The boy was quietly observing the others, his eyes serious and determined. Levi watched him for a while to see if the boy might ever notice him, but Eren had his attention fixed on a group of Careers from Districts 1 and 3. Somehow during the morning session between the tributes, both districts made a casual arrangement to form an alliance for the Games later. They were discussing about inviting District 4 to their alliance when one of them suddenly took notice of Eren. 

Levi shifted his attention to the boy now, who looked like he’s barely past the age of eighteen as he approached Eren to confront the latter. “Hey, dipshit, were you eavesdropping on us?”

Eren returned an annoyed look, which caused the boy to react further. Out of anger, the boy shoved him down with a hard push to the head, drawing attention from the other tributes in the room now. Levi glanced around the room to look for Eren’s partner, but she simply stood silently in another corner, refusing to budge. Levi finally understood what Eren meant after their little sparring session yesterday, when blue eyes mumbled something about his partner. 

He inched a step forward before stopping himself, realizing that his interference to save Eren from the situation might cause more harm than good. The Careers were having a good time pushing him around, obviously testing his limit until he finally snapped. With fire in his blue eyes, he pulled back his left arm – so he’s left-handed, Levi discovered – before landing a big punch across the boy’s jaw. Blue eyes then had him pinned to the ground, ready to throw another punch until someone else jumped in to hold him back. He was abruptly lifted and thrown towards the wall like a ragdoll, kicked in the guts a few times before they finally had enough fun for the day. The girls sneered at him, telling him to mind his own business, before walking away to join their partners. Levi kept his eyes fixed on Eren as the latter slowly got up to his feet, panting heavily.

No one else in the room bothered to help him, probably afraid of ending up in the same fate as Eren. Levi made sure the Careers had already left the training room before he finally moved forward to help blue eyes. “Come on…” He urged, draping the boy’s left arm around his shoulders to fully support Eren’s weight. “Just follow me.” He took blue eyes into the male locker room, gently placing him down on the bench. Then he quickly searched for a first aid kit in his locker. “Take off your shirt.”

Eren shot him an incredulous look, but he took it off anyhow. Blue-black bruises and scars marred the length of his back and abdomen. Some of those scars looked old, the skin never quite healed before new ones emerged, so there were just ugly, jagged lines all over. Levi easily identified the cuts and bruises received from the beating earlier, so he started treating those. Eren said nothing while he worked, only wincing in pain on few occasions. 

After making sure there were no other bruises left untreated, Levi stored away his first aid kit. He’d have to ask Glow to buy a new set for him, just in case. His bandage supply was running low anyway.

“Why are you helping me?” Eren suddenly asked. Levi noted, with some disappointment, that the boy had already worn back his shirt. He couldn’t explain his disappointment though. 

“Is there a problem with this?” Levi scoffed, crossing his arms. 

“Yeah, well…” Eren shifted his gaze. “You made it clear yesterday that you’re just another enemy here, so of course I’d be surprised when you suddenly helped me.”

“Tch, I’m not the one who picked a fight with those Careers. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be even be here.”

“They started it!” 

“And now you sound like a ten-year-old brat.”

“I’m not a brat.”

“If you say so, brat. Next time learn to pick your enemies, unless you plan to get hurt before you could even enter the arena. My work here is done, I’m going back to the quarters.” 

Levi was just about to leave when Eren tugged on his sleeve. “Levi…thanks a lot for your help.” 

“Go get some rest, blue eyes. We still have training tomorrow.”

\---------------------------------------

EREN’S POV

Eren watched the other male leave before going back to the training room. He wanted to confront someone first. Ymir was working on her footwork when he found her, sparring against the female tribute from District 6. “Ymir, I need to talk to you.”

“Just a second.” Ymir lunged forward in high speed, causing her opponent to lose balance and she took this opportunity to direct her knife just directly over the other girl’s neck, marking the end of their sparring session. 

“Nice fighting skills.” The girl complimented her in return.

“You too. We should do this again tomorrow. Please excuse me for a moment.” Ymir then trailed after Eren to talk somewhere private. 

Once they were out of earshot, Eren started, “Why didn’t you bother to help me?” 

Ymir merely shrugged. “I didn’t want to get in trouble with those idiots. You’re an idiot yourself, for picking a fight with them.”

“They started it!”

“Then you could have walked away. But instead, you chose to throw a punch.”

“Aren’t we supposed to help each other? Or am I wrong to assume that, simply because we came from the same district?” 

“I would prefer that you don’t assume anything from now on, Jaeger.” Ymir hissed, losing patience. “From the moment we boarded the train until now, I have made no indication of helping anyone in the Games, including you.” 

Eren stared at her, frozen in place. 

She continued, “We’ll be on our own the moment we enter the arena, so until we do so, you need to start learning to take care of yourself. I saw Levi Ackerman pulling you off somewhere earlier. Are you going to start thinking he would help you during the Games too?” 

Eren simply pursed his lips, unable to answer her. He didn’t know why Levi helped him earlier, but he assumed the guy had some ounce of kindness to take pity over him at least. He knew it would be too far-fetched to think that Levi helped him because he ¬cared. After all, they barely knew each other, having met only a day earlier over a sparring match. He didn’t even know what sort of life Levi led before joining the Games. 

“No, I never had such thought.”

Ymir snorted at this. “You’d do better to think how you plan to survive the Games on your own, instead of spending all your free time trying to form an alliance with the other tributes. People tend to act impulsively when pushed to the brink of desperation, so it wouldn’t matter what sort of alliance you managed to form within these two weeks. Once you enter the arena, what’s to assure that the other tributes wouldn’t kill you first? Think about this very carefully before you answer the question.” She turned on her heel and left. 

Eren returned to the quarters with a heavy heart. At this point, he would just be denying reality for not seeing the truth in Ymir’s words. After taking a long cold shower, he joined Hannes and Elfie for dinner, barely speaking a word to Ymir, before retiring to bed. 

He dreamt about walking through the open fields just beyond the woods of District 12, head tilted up to see blue skies stretching endlessly across a sea of green, white, yellow, orange and red. He felt the same overwhelming sadness filling him again, only this time in the distance he could see a figure waving back at him. He couldn’t make out the person’s face, but one syllable left his throat, “Daddy?”.

When Eren woke up, he could feel tears trailing down his cheeks, staining his pillow. It was still dark outside. He got out of bed, unable to fall back to sleep. Putting on a shirt and his usual pair of boots, he quietly snuck out from the quarters. His legs somehow brought him to the training area. 

After starting up the simulation for archery practice, he immersed his whole body, mind, and soul into the simulation, moving purely on instinct and years of hunting experience. He had his eyes closed to give way for his other senses to takeover, remembering the advice bestowed by his father not too long ago during one of their many hunting trips. 

“Don’t look for the enemy’s weakness with only your eyes. Sometimes it’s not something you could see by sight alone.” Grisha Jaeger stood behind his son and carefully aided his bow towards the line of trees just a few feet away. They spotted an elk roaming on its own between the trees, but to avoid giving it a scare, both father and son hid behind some tall grass growing beside the riverbank. The rushing sound of water could hide away any potential noise that might alert the animal. 

Eren had been a little impatient to take a shot, but his father kept a firm grip on his arm. “Eren, close your eyes and listen. Try searching for the sound of its footsteps.”

“The river is too noisy, daddy.” Twelve-year-old Eren grumbled back. 

He received a hard look from his father before pursing his lips. He quickly closed his eyes and listened, drowning away the sound of the river. He found that he could suddenly hear some birds chirping in the trees above them. His father’s slow breathing in the back. His own breath. Then he heard it, the sound of twigs breaking under a crushing weight. He moved his bow slightly to the left and released the string. He could hear his own arrow whistling through the air, barely scraping a branch before it finally hit its target. There was a loud whine before the animal fell to its side. 

When they checked the carcass, he was amazed for hitting it between the eyes – a clean kill. His father patted him on the back then, giving a warm smile to show how proud he was. 

Eren opened his eyes at the end of the simulation and saw the damage he caused. All the targets were hit directly where a person’s eyes ought to be. He managed to kill every single target with his eyes closed. 

A voice suddenly spoke out from behind. “Eren.”

He quickly wiped away the tears from his eyes before turning around, to see Levi Ackerman standing there with worry in his eyes. Or at least, Eren assumed he was worried. 

“Why aren’t you in bed? It’s 3 o’clock in the morning.”

“I would ask you the same thing.” 

“Then I guess my answer would be the same as you. I can’t sleep. Haven’t been able to sleep properly for a long time.”

“Are you alright?”

Levi sighed, turning off the simulation. “I’m fine. It’s just the way it has always been. I find it easier to sleep after taking a short walk. I’m surprised to see you here though. You don’t seem…alright. Have you been crying?”

Eren looked away. “It’s just a…nightmare. I couldn’t go back to sleep, so I came down here to train.”

“Hmm. How are the bruises from earlier?”

“It’s still hurting slightly but compared to the scolding I received from Elfie and Hannes earlier, uh, I mean my mentors, the bruises somehow hurt less.”

Levi chuckled at this, and Eren couldn’t help but stare. This was the first time he heard laughter from an otherwise stoic expression. 

“You can laugh.” 

Levi raised an eyebrow, and Eren quickly corrected himself before causing any misunderstanding with the other. “N-no I don’t mean it in a bad way. It’s just that I haven’t heard you smile or laugh since the first time we met.”

“We’ve only just met two days ago, Eren.”

“I like it though…” He trailed off, before realizing what he just said. Again, Levi raised an eyebrow at this, as if amused. “I-I mean, you look good when you laugh, but don’t take it the wrong way. It’s not like I’m being a creep or anything. I’m j-just saying this in a very platonic sense. Please don’t hate me, I beg you.” Eren couldn’t stop the word-vomit now. 

“God, Eren. Just stop talking before you give yourself a panic attack.” Levi couldn’t help but smile. This brat turns into an adorable mess when he’s flustered, Levi thought. A point to note.

“You’ll still train with me after this, right?” 

“I never agreed to such thing, but if you promised to keep your mouth shut, I might drop a few pointers here and there, whenever I feel generous.”

Eren felt it was fair, at least. After all, Levi wouldn’t be on the same team in the arena later, so he might as well accept whatever comes his way. He quickly thanked the other male for the help he’ll be getting in advance before bidding him goodnight. After the little encounter he shared with Levi Ackerman earlier, sleep came easily for him. He dreamt of metal grey eyes and warm laughter filling his ears. 

\---------------------------------------

On the fourth day since their arrival at the Capitol, Elfie had woken up both her tributes in the wee hours of the morning to rush them for an interview session at the President’s mansion. The first slot had been scheduled for District 12 followed by a random pick of another district, which will be aired on national television across all districts throughout the day, commencing from eight o’clock in the morning, but Eren and Ymir were expected to arrive before five o’clock to prepare themselves mentally for the interview. It would be conducted by the President himself, whom Eren had only seen four times in his life ever since he started placing his name in the ballot for the Hunger Games. 

President Erwin Smith would appear on the large screen of the propaganda video displayed in the square, before the names are called out for the tributes. Despite never having met the President directly, he hated the man with passion. It was because of Erwin’s grandfather which led to the beginning of the Hunger Games after the 2nd Panem War, and the line of descendants who took over Panem thereafter were no less cruel for continuing the tradition.

Eren was dressed in a white suit to signify his purity as tribute. It would be the most expensive clothing he had ever worn in his life, but he had never felt so suffocated just because of some clothes. He kept pulling at his tie until Elfie swatted his hand away. 

“Follow me quickly, you two. We don’t want to be late for the interview.”

It was nearing five o’clock – an ungodly hour to be dressed in fine clothing – so Eren grumbled a lot as they made their way along the decorated garden pathway leading up to the President’s home. An old man dressed in a black suit greeted them at the door, though Elfie barely paid him any attention as she hurried her tributes in. The same man led them up few flights of stairs and told them to wait inside a room. Eren noticed some equipment set up around a three-seater couch with an armchair beside it. 

“Take a seat first and the President will be here shortly. He’s still in a discussion with the camera crew.” The old man left them afterwards.

“What is the President like?” Ymir asked, genuinely curious.

“He’s a very intelligent man, with good character. We were worried that Panem would go through another rebellion after his father passed away, but he won over the hearts of the people and kept the peace throughout all the districts. It’s only a shame he’s not married yet.”

“You like him, don’t you?” 

Elfie chortled at this. “Like him?! Well, what made you think so?”

“You tucked your hair behind your ears when you mentioned that he’s not married yet.” Eren snickered. 

“Is it so wrong for a lady to make herself look proper at all times? Even you would agree, wouldn’t you, Ymir?”

The latter shrugged. 

The door opened to reveal President Smith a second later, fully dressed in a black suit and a red tie, as he strode in a team of people. Elfie, Eren and Ymir stood to attention, with Elfie respectfully bowing towards the President. Her tributes didn’t bother to copy her. They stared at him warily as he took a seat in the armchair and gestured them to do the same. Elfie moved to the corner to get out of the way.

“It’s nice meeting the both of you for the first time since your arrival at the Capitol. Your names are Eren and Ymir, am I correct?”

“Yes sir.” Ymir replied.

“Very well. Now, I’m sure your mentor has briefed you about the purpose for this interview. I will ask you some questions regarding your district and the Games, and you will only need to answer them honestly. You don’t have to worry about the cameras. The team will know how to edit the parts needed for the viewers later, so don’t worry about making mistakes in answering the questions either.” 

The president spoke with such air of regality and confidence that Eren felt small in his presence. He tried to ignore the nervous feeling in his chest. 

“First question of the day, how old you, Eren?”

“I’m 22.”

“Ymir?”

“I’m 23.”

“I was informed that Ymir had volunteered for another girl during the Reaping, which would you the first tribute to ever volunteer for the Games? What was your relationship with the girl?”

“She’s my…girlfriend. Romantically speaking.”

“Ah, I see…” He smiled at her warmly. “You sacrificed yourself for her sake. That’s quite admirable of you. And Eren, what about you? Who are you fighting for?”

“My…mother and my sister. I’m the only one in the family they could depend on.”

“What do you mean, Eren?”

“My mother is sick and my sister is still in school. I’m the only one who could work to take care of them.”

“That is also quite admirable. You are fighting for your family.”

Eren felt his anger rising slightly. He knew the President was only showing his empathy and kindness for the cameras. He wouldn’t have cared about the people in District 12 otherwise. As a president, he should know about the sufferings faced by those living in the lower districts. District 12 has always been the poorest district in Panem, yet instead of helping the people living there, the President enjoys a lavish life of living in a large mansion, having food served to him every single day and the privilege to dictate how his people should live. 

“It’s already your fourth day here, which means you’ve started training three days ago. What have you learned through the training sessions?” He asked Ymir first.

“I’m quite good with knives.”

Then he shifted his gaze to Eren. “I learned how unfair everything is.”

From the corner of his eyes, he could see Elfie’s face contorting into a horrified look. But he ignored her and kept going. “It’s known fact that the Capitol has always been training tributes from the upper districts since they were young, which means they have a better chance of surviving the Games. For those of us coming from the lower districts, we were only raised to become normal citizens of Panem, not to fight in senseless battles that would get us killed for nothing.” He spat; fiery eyes directed fully towards the president now. He didn’t care for the cameras; they would probably cut out his outburst anyway.

The president seemed unfazed though. 

“Eren Jaeger, you will stop this nonsense!” Elfie yelled at him from the side. 

She was abruptly silenced when the president raised his hand. “Let him talk. I would like to hear more of what he needs to say. Eren, if I may ask you this question, the reason for your hate towards the Capitol, is it due to fear for being called out as a tribute?”

It only fueled Eren’s anger even further. 

“I LOST MY FATHER BECAUSE OF YOU! Your soldiers and your laws, they were the reason he’s no longer alive. Your Peacekeepers killed him simply because he asked for medicine, even when he offered to pay for it. You claim yourself to be a leader for the whole of Panem, but you don’t even know about the sufferings of the people living in the districts. You’re despicable! The fact that you care more about the Games than your own people is just cruel!”

President Erwin closed his eyes for a second. When he opened them, Eren finally saw the president’s true colors reflected behind those cold green eyes. “It seems to me…that you actually don’t know the true purpose of the Hunger Games and I do not blame you for it, Eren Jaeger. You were misled to believe that it is a burden to the people of Panem, but it has only brought unity among the districts. This is a unity that I wish to protect with my own life, no matter the consequences, even if it meant the honorable sacrifice of those participating in the Games. Trust me when I say that I truly and deeply cared for those who have lost their lives in the arena and we will continue to regard them as heroes even after death. The reason you are standing here as a tribute today is to remind the people of Panem about the unnecessary sacrifices and pain inflicted during the 2nd Panem War. It would do you well to remember my words, Eren.”

Eren ignored the tears flowing down his cheeks. He ignored the pain in his heart and the memory of a father he once had. The president’s words fell on deaf ears. 

“Sir, sorry to interrupt, but the tributes of District 2 are here. They’re ready to start the next session of interview.” One of the crew members suddenly cut in. 

The hard look in President Erwin’s eyes were gone and he heaved a deep sigh. “Thank you for your time today, Eren and Ymir. I’m sure we will have the chance to speak again in the future.”

Eren didn’t bother to shake the president’s hand. He stormed out of the room and came face-to-face with Levi Ackerman. Oh great, another embarrassing encounter with Levi. The other male was surprised to see him, probably because he looked like a mess right then, but he didn’t stop to chat. Turning right, he stalked down the same hallway to leave as fast as he could. He could hear Elfie yelling out his name from behind. 

Once they returned to their quarters at the training centre, he finally allowed himself to cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ho ho... a little angst in the end.


	5. Confusing Times

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just wondering though, is the progress for this story too slow? Or perhaps, too fast? I always get worried sometimes that it doesn't make sense. Hahahaha. No worries, I'll still update whenever I can.

LEVI’S POV

Levi was worried about the brat. He had never seen blue eyes so distraught and the sight…unsettled him. He went in to confront Erwin and found him staring blankly at the now empty couch. 

“President Smith! It’s a pleasure to see you again.” Glow’s ecstatic greeting brought the president’s attention to them and he finally spotted Levi in the crowd of six.

“The pleasure is all mine, Ms Glow. You seem to be glowing at usual.” He greeted, taking her hand to plant a kiss on her knuckle. Then he spotted Levi standing behind his mentors. “It’s about time you came in to see me, Levi. I was hoping you’d visit me on the first day.”

“Sorry to disappoint then.” He had known Erwin for a long time, even before he trained to become a soldier. Erwin used to live in District 2 during his childhood. While Levi struggled to get away from his estranged uncle, Erwin offered a place to stay for a night, unbeknownst to the fact that Erwin was the only heir next in line to become Panem’s leader. One night turned into a week and soon, Levi had grown accustomed to living with Erwin and his mother. Levi’s uncle then moved to another district under strange circumstances, which Levi never got around to find out. 

He joined the military to avoid being a burden to the Smiths, and it took no sooner since his first week at military to discover Erwin’s true and real identity. While he struggled to complete his training, Erwin busied himself with business at the Capitol, learning the ropes of ruling Panem under his father’s guidance. Despite his busy schedule, Erwin Smith dropped by to visit Levi once a while in District 2. Visits stopped becoming frequent after Levi was deployed to serve his time in the other districts, usually for prolonged lengths of time. 

“Well, let’s get the interview started.” Erwin announced to the camera crew, before gesturing to Levi and Annie to take a seat on the couch. Glow, Gunther, Petra and Mike all stood at the side to watch the interview unfold. 

“Before we begin though, I’m curious about what happened during the interview session before us.” Levi remarked, unaware that he was giving Erwin a look. 

“Oh? I wasn’t aware that you’re in close terms with the tributes from District 12.”

“No surprise there. Just like how you’re not even aware that your zippers are down the entire time.”

“LEVI ACKERMAN!” Glow cut in, looking furious. The president took one look at his pants and flushed. 

Someone from the camera crew spoke up to assure him. “It’s okay, sir. We made sure to keep the cameras mostly focused on the tributes and your upper body. We didn’t notice a single thing.”

“Thank you for saving me from the humiliation, Ackerman.” Erwin clenched his jaw. The other male had a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, clearly finding pleasure with his embarrassment.

“Levi Ackerman, I will speak to you once we get back to the centre. And stop laughing, you three oaf!” Petra, Gunther and Mike huffed at the back with strained laughter. “I wish to apologize on everyone’s behalf, sir.” She then apologized to the president. 

“It’s quite alright, Glow. It’s a good thing I value you highly as a patron for the Games. Now, shall we begin with the interview?”

“You haven’t answered my question, Smith.” Levi interrupted again. Erwin gave him a hard look. 

“And what question would that be?”

“What did you do to the brat?”

“Are you referring to Jaeger?” Levi merely shrugged. “Well, if you must know, Levi, he was acting out of bounds and I merely corrected him on it. The point of this interview is to introduce all the tributes for this year’s Games, not to allow any form of disobedience that would mislead the public’s perception on the importance of the Hunger Games. I hope my clarification is good enough to quench your curiosity.”

Levi didn’t respond. 

“My first question for District 2 is meant for Annie. I’m aware that you have just completed your military training. How old are you this year?”

“I’m 20, sir.”

“What about you, Levi?”

“You know how old I am. I don’t have to tell you that.”

His response clearly ticked off the president, who clenched his jaw again. “You will answer this interview as a tribute, not as my friend. Your audience is the people of Panem. They want to know more about you. Now can you please tell me your age?”

“I’m 26.” Levi answered, slightly annoyed. 

“Very good.”

\---------------------------------------------

EREN’S POV

Eren didn’t bother to go down for training that evening. He stayed in the quarters with Hannes, asking him more questions about the Games. He wanted to know the best strategy of survival, how to find water if he couldn’t obtain a bottle, how to set traps and hunt for food, how to avoid the other tributes, and the list goes on. Hannes patiently explained each of his enquiries until he could sense a migraine coming on. Elfie should be back by then. She said something about meeting a bunch of people who will be working with them for the Hunger Games parade event next week. 

“On the first day, I watched the other tributes in the training room. Some of them were quite strong, but I know they have their own weaknesses.” Eren remarked, reaching out for the pen and paper. 

“Oh? That’s good. I’m surprised of how perceptive you are sometimes, Eren. I figured you’d have a hard time getting by.” 

“My father taught me to be wary of people Keep your friends close; keep your enemies closer.” Eren muttered softly, writing down the things he learned on the paper. “I guess when I started to realize that I’ll be on my own later, I had to do something about getting by.”

“That’s good. Now, let’s go through what you know about the other tributes.”

“The Careers from the upper districts have agreed to form an alliance, so it’s bad news for everyone else. From what I see, Reiner, Ian and Samuel – the male tributes from Districts 1, 3 and 4 respectively – depend mostly on body strength. They’re good with all the weapons, but their large built doesn’t help much with stamina. When they’re in battle, they tend to lose focus with their surroundings, so they’ll be completely useless with attacks coming from far and above. Their partners, Mina, Anka, and Rico, however, are more agile, preferring long-range weapons like spears and bows, though their aiming is only mediocre at best. Combining their skills as a team would make the Careers a formidable force in the arena. I’m pretty sure they’re forming a strategy of drawing out the other tributes to the ground before killing us one by one. I plan to avoid them until the end. 

District 5 tributes are good at setting up traps and bombs. Marlo and Hitch told me about what they could achieve with wires and gunpowder if they ever got the chance to obtain those materials during the Games. They seem amiable enough to converse with. Donny and Sasha from District 6 are an unpredictable pair. Ymir trains with Sasha a lot. Franz and Hanna from District 7 are actually a couple, so I’m confident they’ll be working closely with one another in the arena later. I feel sorry for them…” Eren heaved a deep sigh, internally relieved that Mikasa has not started putting her name in the ballot. He can’t imagine going against his own sister in the Hunger Games. “I can’t recall the names of the tributes from Districts 8 to 11. They kept to themselves for the most part, refusing to speak to me. I guess after the encounter I had with the Careers, they were afraid to end up in the same fate. Then there’s District 2…I’m pretty sure Annie has agreed to team up with the other Careers, but I don’t know much about Levi.”

“Everyone’s a lone wolf eventually.” Hannes added. “I was on my own most of the time too, only coming out to get more food and water whenever I need.”

“Hannes, I want to know…what I said to President Smith earlier, I know you weren’t there, but do you think what I said was…” He trailed off, hesitant. 

“You mean, whether it was a mistake?”

Eren nodded.

“I can’t tell you whether it’s right or wrong. That’s something you need to figure out on your own. If you felt that you were right to point out your anger towards him and the Capitol, then the only thing I could do is to support you. The advice I can give you now is to be more careful, Eren. Please remember where you are the next time you decided to say something against the Capitol, especially the president himself. Don’t forget who is in control of the Games. The people here have been supporting President Smith and his predecessors for a long time. Their perception of this world can’t be changed overnight.”

His words rang clear in Eren’s head. He knew the idea of a free and just Panem would never be possible just by words alone. 

“Thank you, Hannes. I’ll be careful next time.” To hell with it. Even if he has to fight this battle alone, he will do it until the day he dies. 

\---------------------------------------------

LEVI’S POV

Levi decided to confront the brat on their fifth day of training. He had to make sure Eren is fine. Tch, when did he start to be such a worrywart for that brat? Coming into the training centre, he noticed the Gamekeeper, Niles Dawk and a few other men having an enthusiastic gathering in a small boxed room overlooking the whole training centre. He recalled Mike mentioning that the Gamekeeper planned to test the tributes that day. Levi then spotted Eren standing in the middle of the room, while the other tributes were watching him. 

Niles spoke out into the crowd then. “Show us what you have, Mr Jaeger.”

If looks could kill, Eren looked inches away from shooting an arrow right through his heart. Blue eyes stepped up to a platform prepared for the tributes and strung his bow. A target had been placed a distance away for him to shoot. He gazed up to see the Gamekeeper walking away to obtain more food from the buffet table instead, still taking animatedly with the others around him. No one paid any attention to tributes.

Levi approached the platform to take a closer look, when Eren suddenly shifted his whole body and aimed for the Gamekeeper. He couldn’t stop the brat on time. The arrow was released a second later and shot through one of the apples on the buffet table, just inches away from the Gamekeeper’s fingers. Levi had known about the blue eyes’ skill in using the bow, but apparently this became a surprise for everyone else in the room. No one spoke a word until Niles turned to look at the tributes. 

“What’s the meaning of this, Mr Jaeger?”

Eren made an insulting bow towards the Gamekeeper and stored away his bow. When he walked out of the room, Levi made temporary eye contact with blue eyes for a second and saw the fire reflected within them. Sooner or later, Eren will only get himself killed for going against the Capitol. It certainly didn’t help to settle the sudden fear he felt bubbling up inside his chest. 

The image of Eren dying in the hands of the Capitol…he can’t even fathom. What the hell is wrong with him? Why is his heart beating so fast? Why is he even concerned about the brat in the first place?

“We’ll deal with him later.” Niles scoffed. “Whose turn is next? Ah, I believe it’s time to see Mr Ackerman in action.”

Levi didn’t have the chance to chase after blue eyes. He had to entertain the Gamekeeper’s request first. 

\---------------------------------------------

EREN’S POV

“YOU IDIOT! Do you have any idea what you did earlier, Jaeger?!” Ymir scolded him loudly, shoving him against the wall, while Hannes and Elfie watched them helplessly from the side. Elfie tried to intervene by separating them, but Ymir pushed her off too. Hannes had to hold her back thereafter, only to get shoved himself. 

She threw a punch at her partner, landing a blow directly on his right cheekbone. He fell to the ground, whimpering from the pain. “Ymir, please.”

“You never think with that stupid brain of yours, do you? Are you trying to get us killed before the Games?”

“I-I’m sorry, Ymir. Please stop hitting me.” He couldn’t blame her for hitting him. 

“What were you thinking, trying to mess with the Gamekeeper? YOU’RE JUST AN IDIOT! That’s what you are! All you ever think about is yourself.”

She straddled him, landing multiple punches until his face looked swollen and there were blue-black bruises across his right cheek and left eye. She only stopped once her anger had dissipated, replaced by a cold hard glare. Eren panted heavily beneath her. Once she got up, Elfie finally made the move to help him. 

“Go to your room, Ymir. We’ll deal with him.”

“I don’t care what happens to him now. Once we enter the arena, you’ll be the first person I kill.” She left the living room to cool herself off. 

“Eren, I told you to be more careful about this.” Hannes started, pulling at his ear. Eren whined out of pain but he made no attempt to fight back. “You could have gotten all of us in trouble for the little stunt you did.”

“He’s gone mad, that’s why.” Elfie huffed at the side. “We can just forget about getting sponsors to support us now. The damage he caused cannot be reversed anymore.” 

“Who are those men?”

“They are regular sponsors for the Games, people who are financially capable of sending help to tributes whenever they get into a pinch, but to secure a good sponsor would require showing proof of your skills to them. It only makes sense for sponsors to represent a tribute deemed to have a very good chance of winning the Games. It’s a gamble for them, after all. Once you win, they will earn back ten times more than their investment. While you’re stuck inside fighting for your life, those watching you from the outside are betting to win. It doesn’t matter whether you think of it as cruel and unfair, having sponsors to back you up can actually increase your chances of surviving the Games.” 

Eren realized how much he screwed up now. Hannes looked disappointed with him, which only made him feel worse than before. 

“I’m sorry, Hannes…”

“You wouldn’t have to be sorry if you actually refrained from acting like a rebellious kid. Ymir isn’t wrong, Eren. What you did back there also reflected heavily on her.”

He got up slowly, still feeling the brunt of Ymir’s punches. He needs to apologize to her. 

“Why don’t you get some rest before dinner, Eren?” Elfie suggested. “We’ll talk more after dinner.”

Deflated, he returned to his room to take a short nap. He’ll need to think of a way to redeem himself now.

\---------------------------------------------

Hannes and Elfie went out early the next day for some official business in the city so Eren stayed inside mostly, taking a break from his training. Ymir refused to talk to him, which was expected. She had gone off to the training centre, so Eren had the quarters for himself. 

After breakfast, he lazed around the living room, watching the footage of the interview at the President’s mansion from two days back. They cut off his outburst from the interview, as expected. Then he watched Levi on screen and couldn’t help but to admire how confident and composed he looked throughout the hour-long session. Attractive too…

“What the hell…?” Since when he started thinking of the other male as attractive? Levi is slightly shorter than him in real life, rarely smiles and always calls him a brat, which he despised. Eren didn’t want to have anything to do with him. A prickling sensation in his chest caught him off guard and he realized how much he wanted to see those metal grey eyes again. 

His thoughts confused him further. He shouldn’t be thinking of the male tribute from District 2 as anything more than an enemy, someone who will just kill during the Games later. Definitely. 

He pulled at his hair in frustration before deciding he needed some fresh air. When he wrenched open the front door, he didn’t expect to see Levi Ackerman standing on the other end, one hand in the air as if he was getting ready to knock. 

“L-levi?”

“Hey, brat.” Concerned eyes and a soft voice greeted him. Eren simply gaped at him, rendered speechless. “I need to talk to you about something. Do you mind letting me in?”

“W-what? You came here to see me?” 

“Well, yeah. You didn’t come down for training, so I came up here to find you.”

“I was about to go.” Eren lied. 

“I’d rather that we talk in private.” Levi then allowed himself in, pushing past the boy. “Is there anyone else here?”

Eren shut the door. “Elfie and Hannes went out this morning. I’m not sure when they’ll be coming back.”

“Good.” Levi closed the space between them until he was just inches away from Eren’s face. He noticed the boy’s breath hitched in his throat. Then very softly, he asked, “Are you alright, blue eyes?” He brought his fingers up to sweep back Eren’s front bangs slightly, revealing those blue eyes he’d been admiring for a long time. 

The blue and black bruises on the boy’s right cheek and around his left eye did not go unnoticed to Levi, however. He felt a surge of anger towards the person who dared to put those bruises there. “Who did this to you?” 

“No one.” Eren lied again. “I fell down the stairs.”

“You can’t lie to me, Eren. These bruises don’t happen because of a fall. Someone hit you.”

The boy pursed his lips. Levi could only sigh in return. 

“Eren, I need to be honest with you. I reason why I came to see you is not because I have something to say. It’s because I’m worried about you.” 

“Why?”

Levi looked away. “I don’t know. I just felt the need to be here and make sure you’re fine. I guess you could say that I’m starting to care about you and it’s honestly scaring me a little.”

“You don’t strike me as someone who would be scared of anything.”

“Yeah well, it’s not like I could control it. The way you’ve been acting these past few days doesn’t help either. If anything, it’s making me worry about you even more.”

“I…I’m sorry for making you worry then.”

“You don’t have to apologize for it.” Levi sighed, lightly tracing his fingers over the bruises. Eren winced slightly from the sting but he didn’t push the hand away.

“I don’t understand what’s going on right now, Levi. What does this mean?”

What am I to you? He meant to ask.

“I…don’t know, Eren. I’m just as confused as you are. The only thing I can tell you is that this is where I want to be right now. I’ll think about the consequences later.”

Blue eyes stared into metal grey ones before Eren did the unthinkable. He closed the distance between them completely and lightly touched his lips against Levi’s own, anticipating for the shorter male to push him away. Instead, Levi molded into him further, deepening their kiss and it was the sweetest feeling in the world.

Levi’s lips were soft and warm against his. A pair of arms wrapped around his neck to close the gap between their bodies. Eren pulled away first, panting slightly from the lack of air.

“You should go, Levi, before someone finds you here.”

Levi simply nodded, moving away slowly. Eren watched him exit the front door before finally letting out the breath he’d been holding. His heart was beating hard in his chest and he felt a little light-headed too. Instead of going out for a walk as he planned, Eren returned to his room. His mind replayed the kiss they shared over and over until he could feel his whole-body flushing from the memory.

God, how is he going to explain this to Hannes and Elfie later?


End file.
